DUNMORE — Despite there being a number of people around, nobody wanted to come forward as a witness to a scuffle between two former Scranton School Board members Friday at the Greater Scranton YMCA, Dunmore police said Monday.
(read more)

The 16 Russian nationals and groups indicted Friday for fraud in their backing of President Donald Trump before the 2016 presidential election organized a series of “Miners for Trump” pre-election rallies across Pennsylvania, possibly including one in Scranton.
(read more)

Amid an intense national debate over gun control after last week’s mass shooting at a Florida high school, a controversial Wayne County church is co-sponsoring a pro-gun rights dinner Saturday, four days before it wants couples to bring semi-automatic rifles to a blessing ceremony.
(read more)

Lackawanna and four other Northeast Pennsylvania counties fall entirely in single congressional districts, but Luzerne and Monroe counties remain split between two districts, according to a new district boundaries map released Monday.
(read more)

Article Tools

Rich and Kathy Jucha, right, with the Woffingtons, spent several years searching for a place to relocate before finding Sewickley Ridge and placing a deposit on a home there.

CONNOR MULVANEY / PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE John and Judy Woffington outside their future home in a Traditions of America housing development in Ohio Twp. The Philadelphia-based developer is building its second age-restricted community in the Pittsburgh area.

Retired high school teachers John and Judy Woffington are trading their home on a three-acre lot in Marshall, Pa., near Pittsburgh, for one that sits on about a third of an acre — not because they don’t like the house they’ve owned for 34 years, but because the whole idea of mowing the lawn and shoveling snow has become too much.

Their new home is under construction in a development in Ohio Twp. called Sewickley Ridge, a single-family housing community catering to residents who are at least 55 years old and seek a lifestyle free of the hassles commonly associated with homeownership, such as lawn maintenance.

“We don’t want to leave Pittsburgh, but we like to see other parts of the world and this lifestyle is the best of both worlds,” Mr. Woffington said.

Sewickley Ridge is being developed by Philadelphia-based Traditions of America, a company that has been building 55-and-older communities for 20 years on the East Coast. Seven years ago, the company introduced the concept to the Pittsburgh region with a 71-acre age-restricted community in Freedom, Pa., called Liberty Hills.

While home sales in Liberty Hills were encouraging, the newest age-restricted community in this region has been wildly successful.

“We are up to 86 sales to date in the Ohio Twp. development. That’s a record for us,” said Nathan Jameson, one of the company’s three owners. “What that tells us is that demand for these style communities and our specific concept is really just beginning.”

Restrictions

Age-restricted or deed-restricted communities are a form of homeownership that has been popular for several decades in Sunbelt states like Florida, Arizona and California. Deed-restricted communities use governing documents created by the developers to outline what is and is not permitted. By purchasing a home there, all buyers — current and future — agree to abide by the governing documents.

Deed-restricted communities can restrict an owner’s ability to paint, renovate or alter the appearance of the home. They can also limit the number of vehicles on site by requiring all cars be parked inside the garage.

Selling quick

During the 20 years they lived in Moon Twp., Rich and Kathy Jucha spent several years searching for a place to relocate where living conditions would be more favorable as they get older.

They visited the Liberty Hills development two years ago and considered moving there. But they chose not to live in Beaver County, deciding instead to stay in touch with the developers and wait for the next Pittsburgh-area community. The Juchas placed a deposit on a Sewickley Ridge home six months ago, and like the Woffingtons expect to move in when it’s finished in August.

Home prices in Sewickley Ridge range from about $260,000 to $340,000. The development will have 241 homes when it is completely built out over the next three or four years. The 224-home Liberty Hills development is sold out except for three model homes for sale.

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.